Road working machine



Jan. 27, 1959 w. R. THOMPSON 2,870,551

ROAD WORKING MACHINE Filed July 6. 1954 s Sheets-Shet 1 I N V EN TOR.

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ROAD WQRKING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1954 5 Sheets Sheet 3 I It W R mw mm me II'MI/VIKS Ja'n 27, 1959 W. R. THOMPSON ROAD WORKING MACHINE 5 She'ets-Sheet 4 Filed July 6, 1954 INVENTOR Mum/v P, fl/aMzfa/v Jan. 27, 1959 w. R. THOMPSON ROAD WORKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 6, 1954 FIG- 8 INVENTOR M4 A MM P. fi/a/wpjaw m 44% zl ga United States Patent" F ROAD WORKING MACHINE William R. Thompson, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to Thompson Scoop-Grader, Inc., San Francisco, Cahf., a corporation of California Application July 6, 1954, Serial No. 441,307

3 Claims. (Cl; 37+-1 17.5)

This invention relates to and insgeneral: hasfor itsobject the provision of a road working machine capable. of

simultaneously delivering dirt to a roadbed-and grading the bed to which dirt has been so delivered.

Although currently there .areavailable road working machines including scoops and. scraper blades, none of themis so arranged that the scraperblade can operateon, dirt delivered by the scoop to a road bedbefore'the supporting wheels of the machine pass over such dirt.

More specifically then, it is one of the objects of this invention to provide a road working rig including'an arched framesection, a scoop fixed to the front end of said-section, rearwardly' of the front wheels of the rig; a scraperblade assembly including a scraper blade suspended fr'om said section intermediate thefront and rear endsithereof; means for adjusting the level of the front end of said frame relative to the ground and ground engaging wheelsfor supporting the rear endof said frame.

The invention. possesses other advantageous features, somesof which, with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description where that form of the invention which has been selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the present specification, is outlined in full. In said drawings, one formof the invention is shown, but it is to be understood that it isnOt limited to such form, since the invention-as set forth in the claims may be embodied in other-forms.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a road working machine embodying the objects of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine illustrated insection line 66 of Fig. 2 showing the machinein itsclirtcarrying position.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the; machine inrside. elevation and in its loading position. I

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of thezma-u chine. in side elevation showing the scoop thereofiinxits unloading position and its scraper blade in one .ofuits' grading positions.

Fig. 9 is a View similar to that illustrated in Fig. 8 but showing the dirt pusher associated with the scoop, in its fully advanced position.

In its broader aspects, the road working machine illus-.

trated in these various figures comprising a mainframe A,. a-bowl or scoop assembly B mounted rearwardly of the forward ground engaging wheels of the rig," a scrapera.

blade assembly C suspended from the main frame rear? wardly ofithe; scoop assembly andforwardly. ofthe .rear ground engaging wheelsof the riggzand 'powenmea'nsiorr operating. the various parts of thesezthree. assembliesi i atented Jan. 27, 1959 2 Main frame-Ar:

As shown in.Figs.' Land 2; themain frame A includes a rear frame section, arcuate in side elevation, rectangu" lar in top plane view, and generally.designatedby. the reference numeral '1. More particularly; the frame section 1' includes identical arcuate and parall'elside members 2 connected by transverselyextending, cross members 3, 4,. 5 and 6. Welded .to the rear cross member 6 are a pair of intermediate arms 7 "extending rearwardly and down-- wardly in parallelism with the rear ends of the side members 2. Mounted 'in the arms 7 andside members 2 atthe rear ends thereof is an axle 8 and journaled thereon are ground engaging wheels 9 for supporting the rear end of the rig and more particularly the rear-end of the rear main frame section .1...

Pivotedto .the forward ends'of the rearframe section side members 2 by pins 11 are the side members 12 of an upwardly and forwardly extending front main frame sec-- tion. generally designated by the reference numeral 13 and including a transversely extending cross member 14. Welded centrally of the .cross member .14 is an outward-= ly and downwardly extending curved bearing arm. 15- forming a gooseneck with the front main frame section 13 and arranged to be detachably connected to and supported by a forwardground engaging wheel assembly generally designated by the reference numeral '16. It should here be noted that the wheel assembly 16 can be either an integral part of the rig structure or item; be part of "a' towing vehicle. At all events, itsimplyserve's' as a support for the front end of the rig.

Welded to each' of the opposed side members 12 and to the forward ends of the frame side members 2 are lugs 17 and pivoted to and between each longitudinally aligned 'set of lugs-is a'hydraulic jack 18. As 'a result of this construction, the two'cyli'nders 18 serve to change and control the angle between the front and rear main frame sections, and, therefore, as will more fullyappear, the level or height of the scoop or bowl assembly B.

Scoop assembly B Welded to and between the forward ends of the rearframe side members 2 is a bowl or scoop generally designated by the reference numeral 21 including side members 22, a bottom 23, and an open rectangular back 24 pro vided with a vertical central channel 25. As shown in all of the drawings other than Fig. 2, the scoop bottom 23 terminates at its forward end in an inclined excavating. lip 26 havinga sharp cutting edge. 27.

Disposed within the scoop 21 for bodily movement therein is a pusher 31 supported on rollers 32. Hinged to the upper edge of the pusher 31 is a pusher extension 33 arranged to swing counterclockwise as viewed in the drawings from an upright position to a .forwardly'erotending positionas illustrated in Fig. 9 so as to avoid obstructing'the line of sight from the operator to'the scraper blade. The rollers 32 have been illustrated merely to indicate that some provision should be made to decrease the frictionbetween the scoop and its supporting members, applicant being fully aware that if rollers are to be used for this purpose, they and their supporting rails should be so" located or sealed that they are not operating in dirt. There are severalwell known expedients for this purpose but since this part of the machineper se is not included Within the objects of this invention, it. is 'deemed unnecessary'to describe them further;

Welded to the rear face of the pusher extension 33 along: its lower'edge are a plurality. of transversely spaced, arcuate stop-fingers 35 (Figs. 6, 8 and 9) serving to prevent the pusher extension fro-m swinging clockwise beyond its; upright position; Similarly, the' fo'rwa-rdface ofzithez pusher: 31 is providedalong its upper edge'with 3 fingers 36 serving to limit the counterclockwise movement of the pusher extension 33.

As best indicated in Figs. 8 and 9, the pusher extension 33 is reinforced along its rear face by a transversely extending channel 37 and similarly the pusher 31 proper is reinforced by channels 38 and 39. Secured to the channel 38 at either end thereof are lugs 41 and pivoted thereto and extending through the open back 24 of the scoop 21 are a pair of conventional hydraulic jacks 42, the rear ends of said jacks being pivoted to lugs 4-3 secured to the cross channel 6 of the main frame rear section.

As a result of this construction, it will be seen that the hydraulic jacks serve to reciprocate the pusher 31 and its extension 33 longitudinally within the bowl or scoop 21 and under the control of an operator as presently will be more fully disclosed.

Pivoted to the scoop side walls 22 by pins 44 are the side arms 45 of a front apron 46 arranged to swing across and close or crack the open front end of the bowl or scoop 21 all in accordance with standard practice.

Welded to each of the side arms 45 of the apron 46 along the uper edges thereof and well in advance of the pins 44 are lugs 47. Pivoted to and extending between the lugs 47 and lugs 48 welded to the side members 2 of the rear main frame section are a pair of hydraulic jacks 49.

Scraper blade assembly Welded to and extending across the rear frame section cross members 4 and centrally thereof is a channel member 51 (Figs. 2 and 4) and bolted or otherwise ecured on either side of the channel member 51 are fluid motors 52 and 53 respectively including motor shafts 54 and 55. Keyed to the front ends respectively of the shafts 5d and 55 are radially' extending arms 56 and 5'7. Pivoted to the outer ends of the arms 56 and 57 respectively are sleeves 58 and 59 and slidably disposed in these sleeves are hanger rods 61 and 62 held in any predetermined position in their respective sleeves by set screws not shown.

Suspended from the hanger rods 61 and 62 is a generally horizontal A frame 63 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5). For this purpose, the A frame 63 (Fig. 3) is provided with brackets 64 extending outwardly from its legs and with sleeves 65 pivoted thereto and which receive the lower ends of the hanger rods 61 and 62.

Secured to the vertical channel 25 forming a part of the open back of the scoop 21 is a universal joint 66, this joint in turn being connected to the forward end of the A frame 63.

Mounted on the cross member 6 of the rear main frame section centrally thereof is a fluid motor 67 including a drive shaft 63. Keyed to the shaft 68 and extending radially and downwardly thereof is an arm 69 (Figs. 1 and 4) and swiveled to the outer end thereof is a laterally extending arm 71. The outer end of the arm 71 is in turn pivoted to one of the rear corners of the A frame 63.

As a result of this construction the A frame 63 can be swung vertically about the universal joint 66 or tilted under the influence of the two fluid motors 52 and 53 and it can he swung laterally about the universal joint 66 under the influence of the fluid motor 67.

Formed integrally with the forward and rear ends of the A frame 63 are upper sectors 72 and 73. Secured to the lower side of the sector 72 is a spacing plate 74, and a lower sector 75, the members 72, 74 and 75 forming an arcuate channel 76. Secured to the under side of the sector 73 is a rabbeted sector 77 which with the sector 73 forms an arcuate channel 78 similar to the arcuate channel 76 lying in a common plane therewith. Rotatably mounted Within the channels 76 and 78 is a ring 79 formed on its periphery with notches 81 (Fig. 3) and provided with a depending annular flange 82 (Figs. 4 and 5). Extending diametrically across the flange 82 and welded thereto is a plate 83. Mounted on and secured to the Li A frame 63 coaxially with'the ring 7 9 is a fluid motor 84 including a drive shaft 85, the lower end of said shaft being keyed or otherwise fixed to said plate 83.

Welded to and depending from the ring 79 at diametri cally opposed points thereon are a pair of arcuate fingers 86. Mounted adjacent the lower ends of the fingers 86 is a curved scraper blade 87 (Fig. 5) provided on its rear face with a stiffening flange 88. Welded to the flange 88 are a pair of bifurcated lugs or fingers 89 connected to the lower ends of the arcuate fingers 86 by pins 91. Secured to and extending rearwardly from the upper edge of the scraper blade 87 adjacent the fingers 86 are fingers 92 provided with a series of spaced holes 93 arranged to register with a hole 94 formed in each of the fingers 86. By inserting a pin through these holes the scraper blade can be locked at any desired inclination.

Pivoted to the A frame sector 72 (Fig. 3) is a lever 95 provided on its inner end with a detent 96 selectively receivable in one of the ring notches 81. Extending between and secured to the outer end of the lever 95 and a finger 97 protruding from the A frame 63 is a tension spring 98 serving to bias the detent 96 to its locking or closed position. Fastened to the outer free end of the lever 95 is a cable 99 for operating the detent and which extends to the operators station on the rig or the draft vehicle.

It is therefore apparent that as a result of this construc tion, the scraper blade 87 can be selectively tilted, angled, elevated and laterally shifted under the influence of the fluid motors 52, 53, 67 and 84, all of which are under the control of suitable fluid valves located at the operators station either on the rig itself or the draft vehicle pulling the rig. Here it should also be noted that fluid under pressure for actuating the fluid motors is derived from suitable pumps mounted on the draft vehicle.

Mounted on the rear main frame is an operators seat 161 and a bank 102 of valves for controlling the various fluid lines 103 communicating between the various hydraulic jacks and motors, the source of fluid under pressure and the control valves. As indicated in Fig. l a duplicate set 104 of these lines runs from the motors, and hydraulic jacks to control valves mounted on the draft vehicle so that all of the various parts of the rig can be operated from either the rig itself or from the draft vehicle.

Operation Now referring more particularly to Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9:

In Fig. 6 the bowl or scoop 21 is shown in its elevated dirt-carrying position with its pusher 31 retracted, its pusher extension 33 upright and its apron 46 in its closed position. In this position of the scoop, the hydraulic jack 18 is in its extended position and the jack 49 is also in its extended position. The scoop 21 can be either full of dirt or empty thereof and the scraper blade 87 can be in either its raised inoperative position or in its depressed operative position.

By retracting the jack 18 the scoop 21 can be bodily lowered to its excavating and loading position as illustrated in Figure 7 and wherein the apron 46 has been raised to its open position by retracting the jack 49. Here the scraper blade is in its raised inoperative position. After the scoop 21 has been filled while in this position, the apron 46 is made to assume its closed position and the scoop 21 is elevated, all as shown in Fig. 6.

The load can then be transported to another location and there dumped in its entirety or as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, the contents of the scoop can be gradually payed out over a road bed and the dirt so payed out immediately graded by the scraper 87 as the rig advances. Here it should be particularly noted that since the scoop is located to the rear of the front wheel assembly 316, the wheels thereof never pass over the dirt being discharged from the scoop. Furthermore, since the scraper blade 87 is forward of the rear wheels of the rig, they can pass over dirt discharged from the scoop only after such dirt has been graded by the scraper blade. This sequence of operations is of extreme importance for the position of the scraper blade 87 is set relative to the frame and ground engaging wheels of the rig. In other words, the scraper blade must of necessity follow the contour of the road bed traveled by the rig wheels. If dirt is delivered to the road bed as the rig passes over it, the contour of the bed will be changed accordingly and in all probability it will be rough and non-uniform until worked over by a scraper. By locating the scraper blade 87 immediately behind the scoop and locating both of these elements between the front and rear ground engaging wheels of the rig as above described, the dirt delivered by the scoop to the road bed is uniformly distributed over the bed before the wheels of the rig pass over it. The dirt so distributed over the road bed changes the contour thereof over which the rear wheels of the rig may have to pass and such altered contour to some extent determines the position and locus of the scraper blade. However, such locus is quite different than would result if the rear ground engaged wheels of the rig where to pass over the dirt being delivered to the road bed prior to the operation of the scraper on such dirt. Here it should be noted that in common with existing rigs, the scraper blade can extend laterally beyond the confines of, the rig proper so as to distribute dirt directly in the path of one of the rear wheels.

It will be noted that in Fig. 8, the pusher 31 is in an intermediate position with its extension 33 maintained in vertical position by the dirt load 105 within the scoop and which is being discharged on the lip 26.

In Fig. 9, the pusher 31 is shown at the end. of its forward stroke with its extension 33 hinged forwardly to its horizontal position, a position which it has assumed under the influence of gravity as the dirt load is payed out. One of the main purposes for providing a hinged pusher is to avoid having its upper portion obstruct the line of vision between an operator located on a draft vehicle ahead of the rig and the scraper blade for it is desirable for the operator to be able to watch the operation of the blade at all times. This situation is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8 wherein the operators field of vision is determined by the line 106, this line being defined by the lower leading edges of the channels 6 and 14. This, of course, assumes that the operator is riding the draft vehicle rather than the rig itself.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A road working machine comprising: a main frame having front and rear sections pivotally connected together; a scoop mounted within and disposed transversely of the forward end of the rear section of said main frame; hydraulic power means to change the angular relation between said sections to raise said scoop to an elevated load transporting position or to lower said scoop to loading position; a scraper blade assembly mounted within the rear section of said main frame directly behind said scoop, said assembly including a sub-frame mounted for vertical and lateral tilting movements; a substantially horizontal rotatable ring carried by the sub-frame; a scraper blade centrally supported by said ring; means to secure the ring against rotation relative to the sub-frame with the scraper blade set at any desired angle to the line of travel of the machine; and power means to selectively elevate said scraper blade assembly thereby to render said scraper blade inoperative or to depress said assembly thereby to force said blade into the earth or to tilt said assembly laterally.

2. A road working machine comprising: a main frame including a front section having front supporting Wheels, and a rear section having rear supporting wheels; means hingedly connecting the adjacent ends of said sections together on a transverse horizontal axis; a relatively wide open front scoop disposed transversely of the main frame and rigidly carried by the front of said rear section; hydraulic power means to relatively move the adjacent ends of said sections to raise and lower the scoop selectively to either its loading or its transporting position; a sub frame supported on said rear frame section between the rear end of said scoop and said rear wheels for both vertical movement and lateral tiltable movement relative to said main frame; a rotatable scraper blade carrying ring mounted on said sub frame adjustable to set the scraper blade at various angles to the longitudinal axis of said main frame; and hydraulic power means to selectively raise, lower, and laterally tilt said sub frame in either direction.

3. A road working machine comprising: a main frame including a front section having front supporting wheels, and a rear section having rear supporting wheels; means hingedly connecting the adjacent ends of said sections together on a transverse horizontal axis; a relatively wide open front scoop disposed transversely of the main frame and rigidly carried by the front of said rear seetion, said scoop having an open rear end; a pusher vertically disposed within the scoop and extending there across; a pusher extension hingedly connected to the upper end of said pusher for downward and frontward rotation around the hinged connection; hydraulic power means to move said pusher and pusher extension forwardly and rearwardly in said scoop; hydraulic power means to relatively move the adjacent ends of said sections to raise and lower the scoop selectively to either its loading or its transporting position; a sub frame supported on said rear frame section between the rear end of said scoop and said rear wheels for both vertical movement and lateral tiltable movement relative to said main frame; a rotatable scraper blade carrying ring mounted on said sub frame adjustable to set the scraper blade at various angles to the longitudinal axis of said main frame; and hydraulic power means to selectively raise, lower, and laterally tilt said sub frame in either direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,296,347 Werts et a1 Mar. 4, 1919 2,061,924 Slate Nov. 24,1936 2,168,318 Brodersen et al. Aug. 8, 1939 2,273,010 Austin Feb. 17, 1942 2,339,518 Reisser Jan. 18, 1944 2,445,260 Brimhall July 13, 1948 2,464,098 Pittlick Mar. 8, 1949 2,677,202 Gustafson May 4, 1954 

